DH may have a job in the US !!!!!

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DH works for a company whose head office is in the US. They are huge and have factories all over the world. A new plant is being built in NY state which he has shown interest in and they are showing an interest in him. He is waiting to hear back from the hiring team.

I've gone into panic mode If the package is good we will be going permanently.

DCs are 10 and 14, not the best ages to move, especially with DD starting year 10 in September. School is my priority and looking at the areas I have no idea where would be a good place to live. The new factory is in Nichols and we would be looking at 30 minutes commute ideally.

I'm also worried my mh will be a problem as I've recently been diagnosed with dysthymia. Does anyone have any experience of relocating to the US with mh issues as I understand it can prevent you from getting a visa?

Binghamton and Ithaca are both awesome towns and I wouldn't even consider PA. You have some great school districts in that part of the state and be picky. Do not buy a home because you need the flexibility to move to a different school district if you don't like the one you initially pick. The standards of education here are not as low as people in the UK think they are. Quite frankly I think they are higher in the vast majority of towns!

Pitiless You have very low co-pays! We pay $30 for a GP visit and $50 for a specialist. Everyone apart from our GP/Paediatrician for the kids is a specialist. Co-pays for prescriptions are reasonable because we use Walmart pharmacy. What is true is that there is no wait to see a therapist and I have found the quality of care here to be very good. You should also see if you can go as an expat and get the expat insurance coverage. It is cheap for your employer and reimburses your copays.

WRT weather don't worry. It isn't that bad. In the winter it is often sunny but bitterly cold so you can fool yourself into believing it isn't that bad. If you buy the right gear you will be fine and people will tell you what to do and not to do (go with LL Bean or North Face if in doubt is my motto!). You can also come and ask on here. The only thing I will warn you about is that America is a huge country and everything is bigger here including the weather. When you first come over there will be some tough days. Generally though people are really nice here and have a much more positive disposition compare to the UK.

For your budget you need 2 cars, both AWD. Don't consider anything but AWD is my advice and we get less snow here in NJ than you guys get. College is fine too. In four years you can do state college, completing two years first at community college. It is so much cheaper and your degree is exactly the same as someone who spent four years at the state college. You definitely need to start planning for it and it is a negotiating point for your DH. Also, you need consider pensions. If you plan to be in the US on a permanent basis you need some help with your pensions. Social security is based on your income and you need 10 years of work to qualify. To get the maximum amount you currently need to work for 25 years. You will also have higher costs associated with having family abroad. Trust me when I say its expensive visiting family. We easily spend $10k per year visiting family in Denmark and the UK because we need to rent our own place and car in Denmark.

Another thought on private vs state universities- I went to one of the top five most expensive universities (at the time) because it cost me less than any of the state schools (being a full resident of state too). They offered me a very generous scholarship package which included assistance wih books and housing, whereas the state school just offered to reduce their fees.

Update - DH is currently on his way back from NYS. He hasn't accepted the offer yet, he should have it in writing along with the relocation package next week. He is very excited, it's a massive opportunity that he won't get here.

It all looks good - training, salary, holidays. They employ a relocation specialist to assist us with housing, schools, banks and everything else!

Feeling anxious, excited, nervous, sick, and happy all at the same time. I keep telling myself it's better to take a chance than wondering what if. Lots of talking to do when DH gets home tomorrow.

FYI your DC will be counted as international students back in the UK unless they live there 3 years prior to applying